AASD’s Kindergarten to Fifth grade programs serve Deaf and Hard of Hearing students from all over Georgia. We follow the school’s bilingual language policy and use Written English, Spoken English, and ASL in the classroom, striving to match each student’s language preferences. Our classrooms consist of a language-rich environment where students learn through hands-on activities, group work, and 1:1 with the teachers. Our classes follow the Georgia Standards of Excellence, which ensures our students have equal opportunities to establish and maintain strong educational foundations. By having small class sizes, GaPSC certified teachers, and highly qualified paraprofessionals, we ensure our students receive the most individualized attention and appropriate services based on each student’s IEP. We build meaningful and long-lasting relationships with each of our students and their families. Family engagement and communication is important to us, bridging the connection between school and home to provide a solid foundation to where our students can become successful in school and at home.
The Atlanta Area School for the Deaf cares about the safety and well-being of our students. We want to make sure our school is a safe place for students to learn. To do this we will be using a program called the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. OBPP is a proven bullying prevention program used to prevent and/or reduce bullying in schools. The goals of OBPP are to reduce bullying problems and prevent new bullying problems from happening. The program is also used to improve relationships among students. The program is for all students, not just those who are being bullied or who are bullying others.
We have established an anti-bullying policy that comes with an age appropriate consequences for your child. Following is the list of consequences, bear in mind that all consequences are subject to change in order to meet severity and circumstances surrounding the bullying incident.
How the program works:
Consequences for High School Students:
First Offense: Time in Student Responsibility Center; lunch alone, removal from the class for 50 minutes, or removal from activities. Parents will be notified.
Second Offense: In School Suspension, Parent Conference and start the referral for Response-to-Intervention. Parents will be notified.
Third Offense: Out of School Suspension, IEP meeting, start Functional Behavioral Assessment and Behavioral Intervention Plan.
Fourth Offense: Extended Out of School Suspension, Local School System Contact and Parent Conference.
Consequences for Middle School Students and High School Students with additional disabilities.
First Offense: Time in Student Responsibility Center; lunch alone, removal from the class for 50 minutes, or removal from activities. Parents will be notified.
Second Offense:In School Suspension, Parent Conference and start the referral for Response to Intervention. Parents will be notified.
Third Offense: Two-day In School Suspension, IEP meeting, start Functional Behavioral Assessment and Behavioral Intervention Plan. Parents will be notified.
Fourth Offense: Out of School Suspension, Local School System Contact and Parent Conference.
Fifth Offense: Extended Out of School Suspension and IEP Meeting.
Consequences for Elementary Students and Middle School Students with additional disabilities:
First Offense: Time in Student Responsibility Center; lunch alone, removal from the class for 50 minutes, or removal from activities. Parents will be notified.
Second Offense: Prolonged Time in Student Responsibility Center (Breakfast and Lunch Alone for a week, or missing Recess/Social Time) and parents will be notified.
Third Offense: Extended Time in Student Responsibility Center, Parent Conference and start referral for Response to Intervention.
Fourth Offense: In School Suspension, IEP meeting and start Functional Behavioral Assessment and Behavioral Intervention Plan.
Fifth Offense: Two-day In School Suspension, or Out of School Suspension.
The Atlanta Area School for the Deaf recognizes the effects of bullying on students who are bullied. It can cause depression and health problems in children, and their schoolwork is likely to suffer. Every student has the right to feel safe in school and be spared the experience of being bullied.
Parents and guardians play a key role in this program. Your child will be asked to tell an adult at school and at home if he or she is bullied or sees bullying happening at school. It will be very important that you take any bullying seriously and tell our school staff. Our staff members are trained to deal with bullying situations when we are told about them.
Bullying should not be seen as “kids being kids” or something with which students just need to deal. Having a safe school experience is something that all students should be able to enjoy.
Thank you so much for your support to make your child’s learning experience a positive and safe one.
